TOASTED COCONUT WHITE CHOCOLATE DREAM PIE RECIPE

Toasted Coconut White Chocolate Dream Pie Recipe image

Provided by MJH

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

Coconut White Chocolate Custard:
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
1¾ cups canned coconut milk (13.5 fluid ounce can)
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1½ ounces chopped white chocolate (¼ cup)
Crunchy Toasted Coconut Crust:
vegetable oil spray
3 cups unsweetened flaked coconut (6 ounces) (available at health food stores or Whole Foods), lightly toasted
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish:
dried coconut shards, toasted
white chocolate shavings

Steps:

Toast the Coconut: Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the coconut shards on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, watching carefully and stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Prepare the Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until well combined. Add the milk, coconut milk, and vanilla bean. Over medium-high heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and begins to boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Ladle a bit of the hot sauce into the eggs and whisk to warm the eggs gradually. Repeat, and then scrape the warmed eggs into the sauce in the pan. Stir to combine. Place the pan back on medium-high heat, and continue stirring slowly while bring the custard back to a boil. Maintain a slow boil for 1-2 additional minutes, stirring slowly to prevent browning on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat. Add salt, vanilla extract, and coconut extract, and stir until incorporated. Scrape the custard into a strainer set over a medium bowl and push the custard through the mesh into the bowl. This ensures that you will have no lumps in your custard. Stir the white chocolate into the hot custard until melted. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until completely cold. The custard will thicken considerably as it cools. Prepare the Crust: Coat a 9½- to 10½-inch diameter, 5- to 6-cup capacity pie plate with vegetable spray. Reserve. Process the coconut, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Stop the machine and pour the melted butter over the top of the crumbs. Pulse to combine. Add the crumbs to the pie plate, pat the crumbs evenly across the bottom and firmly up the sides, and level the top edge. The edges should be 1/4-inch thick, and firmly and evenly pressed against the bottom and sides of the pan. Don't pat the crumbs over the horizontal edge of your pie plate, if it has one, as the edge will shatter when you cut the pie. Put the pie pan on an edged baking sheet ad bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes, until fragrant and nicely browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Assemble the Pie: When the pastry cream is cold, and not too long before serving, fill the baked pie crust with it, smoothing the surface. In an electric mixer with the whisk, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip to peaks that are firm enough to hold their shape. Top the pie with the whipped cream and then sprinkle with the toasted coconut shards and shaved white chocolate.